In the arena of electronic information sources, a variety of high density storage and playback media have been developed. For storage of audio information, audio tape cassettes, digital audio tapes, and compact discs are available; while video cassette tapes, compact disc and floppy discs provide visual and, frequently, audio-visual information via operation in corresponding playback equipment. Both the information storage medium and the playback equipment tend to be regarded as high technology items which are not adapted for juvenile usage.
One disadvantage of high technology storage media and playback equipment is cost. At this time, the technology remains costly largely due to the necessary materials and the production expenses for recording the stored information. Further, although considered durable under "normal" usage, discs and tapes cannot withstand rough handling of the type associated with a juvenile user. The foregoing disadvantages render the available storage media generally useful to adults rather than children. However, children wish to emulate adult users and have, in the past, had a wide selection of toy versions of, for example, phonograph and tape players. Tape players have been adapted for juvenile users primarily by fabricating the outside of the tape player and the operating switches of highly durable materials. The storage medium, i.e., the tapes, themselves, and the basic internal tape recording and playing mechanisms are the same as are found in all standard tape players. As a consequence, repeated usage by a juvenile has its expected effect on the storage medium and the playback equipment's internal components.
One particularly popular toy phonograph of the past featured plastic discs having grooves to simulate the grooves on phonograph records. Each plastic disc was provided with a plurality of grooves representing a single melody. The "record player" comprised an arm, much like the needle arm of a phonograph player; however, the toy arm had multiple actuating pin means similar to those in a mechanical music box. The grooves on the spinning record selectively actuated the pins, each of which was coupled to emit a particular musical tone, the combination of which provided the basic melody. Both the recording medium and the player were fabricated of highly durable materials, insuring longterm play value. Moreover, since each plastic disc contained a single melody, ease of selective access to the desired information was available to the juvenile user. Toy computers provide visual display of images stored on a reel of sheeting which is advanced, on a "frame-by-frame basis", via user activation of a simulated keyboard.
It would be advantageous to provide a durable, affordable, easily operated, toy playback system for providing selective access to stored information, for the use and enjoyment of juvenile users.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a toy playback system which can selectively provide stored information from one or more storage media.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a method and system for storing, selectively accessing, and reproducing audio and/or visual information, the method and system being durable, portable and affordable.